2013 NARRA Season - Return to the Snake Pit

Part 1: Texas Motor Speedway and Road Atlanta

Four times over the course of the 2012 racing season, VETTE brought you exclusive looks at the Corvettes that battled against Dodge Vipers in the North American Road Racing Association's (NARRA) two new grassroots-style racing series, the US GT Championship (USGTC) and Whelen US TimeTrial Championship (USTTC). The 2013 NARRA season has just begun, and a number of new Corvette racers have already made their mark in the two series.

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One such competitor is 25-year-old Bryan Leonard, mechanic at SpeedSouth/Active Power Racing (and son and nephew of owners David and Tom Leonard, respectively).

"All my life I've wanted to race for Corvette. This is what I live for. We don't have a budget, so until now it's been just a dream," Leonard says.

Though he wrenches on Vettes daily in the family business, with only two "ChumpCar" races under his belt, Bryan is a true rookie. He debuted in Rounds One and Two at Texas World Speedway on February 16-17, 2013, where he qualified Third in the GT-Unlimited class before a broken rocker prevented him from racing.

He reappeared at Round Four at Road Atlanta on April 14. "It's pretty amazing to think I out-qualified [Mike] Hartley and [Jim] Stout's old Viper. These Comp Coupes have always been tough competition to Dad and Uncle Tommy."

"This is what NARRA is all about," says organization General Manager Rob Morrison, "…giving the average guy a chance to race against some of the best drivers, amateur and pro, with some of the fastest cars, on the nation's top tracks.

"Given the potential Bryan has already shown, we think he might just be a champion in the making, and [we're] hoping someone comes on board to sponsor him to ensure he can go for the title in his rookie year."

There are plenty of other hopeful Corvette racers looking to add fame to their records, too.

"The 2013 season is shaping up to be year of the Vette," Morrison predicts. "MTI Racing's been out in force in TimeTrial at Road Atlanta, even sponsoring the trophies. SpeedSouth now has three cars, and then there's our Texas contingent, led by Michael Perkins '03 Z06 and Troy and T.J. Messer's Doug Rippie Motorsports–built '09 C6. Already Vettes have taken 24 podiums, including 11 wins, in the two series so far this year."

As of this issue's street date, there are four more weekends of series action to go in 2013, giving even Johnnies-come-lately the opportunity to don their racing helmets, rev up their Corvettes, battle for national titles, and even race at an American Le Mans Series (ALMS) event.

"Stock road cars are allowed in the TimeTrial series, and just about any racecar can run in the US GT Championship, so there are lots of opportunities," Morrison says. "There's even a Performance Driver Education [USPDE] program for novice drivers. Unlike most national series, you don't need to compete in every round. We count only your best eight rounds, plus the final round at Sebring. So even if you start now, you're in with a good shot for the championship. There's no minimum, either. If you just want to do the ALMS even or Sebring, that's fine, too."

Come along with us now, as we showcase some Corvette racers who made the marque proud at NARRA's first four rounds in 2013.

For more information on how you and your Corvette can participate in NARRA's two racing series, visit www.narraonline.com.

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Jeff Price opened his 2013 TT-Unlimited campaign with two Fourth Place performances at Road Atlanta, extracting a creditable 1:32.329 lap time from his MTI Racing-prepped ’06 Z06 in the process. Photo by Clark McInnis Photography

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2013 NARRA Season - Return to the Snake Pit

Now in its third year, NARRA’s two grassroots series—the US GT Championship (USGTC) and the Whelen US TimeTrial Championship (USTTC)—are open to all Corvette drivers. This wide window of opportunity may be just the break SpeedSouth rookie Bryan Leonard needs to become the next champion. Photo by Cameron Carnes

Another fresh face from the SpeedSouth camp, Tom Fisher made an impressive USGTC debut on February 16 at Texas World Speedway. After capturing Third there in the highly competitive GT-Unlimited class, he continued to collect points at Road Atlanta with a top-six finish. Photograph by Clark McInnis Photography

Last year’s GT-3 champion, Ron Farmer, is no stranger to NARRA cameras. This year he’s made the step up to GT-2, but that hasn’t stopped him from to punching well above his weight.

Shown on the right in his orange-white-and-green C5, Farmer finished Fourth outright in GT-2’s Round One, then followed that with podium appearances in the next two rounds of the season. Photograph by Cafe Photo

Like Fisher’s Corvette, Jason Kennedy’s car started as a stock ’06 Z06 before being comprehensively modified by SpeedSouth. A Second Place finish at Road Atlanta shows that Kennedy is legitimate GT-U title contender.Photograph by Clark McInnis Photography

In his first appearance behind the wheel of SpeedSouth’s yellow beast, the youngest of the Leonard trio, Bryan, qualified Third in the GT-U class in Texas. David took over driving duties on Sunday to claim Third in the race, earning the Leonards their first piece of silverware for the year. Photograph by Clark McInnis Photography

Comrades in arms, the Messers, Mike Weathers, and Michael Perkins create a veritable Corvette compound within the NARRA paddock.

Car clubs are welcome to attend NARRA events, and members even are invited to take parade laps around the track. The Atlanta-based Notorious Vettes club showed up in force to support Corvette drivers at their home circuit.

MTI Racing’s Road Atlanta muscle came in the form of Howard and his No. 00 ’09. His 1:26.188 lap time on Saturday was a staggering three seconds faster than top import teams Element Tuning and TopSpeed. He followed that up with a Second Place TT-U finish on Sunday.Photo by Clark McInnis Photography

Reigning TT-2 champion Perkins knocked two seconds off his previous class record at Texas World Speedway but still only managed two Second places. He exacted a measure of revenge in Atlanta, winning on Saturday placing Third on Sunday. Photo by Cafe Photo

Not even a broken brake rotor could stop Troy (in the driver’s seat) and T.J. Messer from starting their ’13 assault in style. They won Rounds One and Two in Texas, resetting the TT-1 lap record along the way.

The going got tougher in Georgia, with ex-NFL star (and former VETTE feature-car owner) Dez White’s Porsche keeping the Messers’ father-and-son team honest. Their Second and Third Place finishes were nonetheless impressive, especially in light of the pair’s limited seat time at Road Atlanta.

Scott Perkins is considered a TT specialist. He won the 2011 NASA TTA national championship and holds the current NASA TT-3 lap record at Road Atlanta. Photo by Clark McInnis Photography

Realizing NARRA competition might be tougher, Perkins left nothing to chance, smoothing his Vette’s lines with race tape. It must have worked: He took wins both days with a best time of 1:31.082, adding NARRA’s TT-3 lap record to his list of accolades.

Mike Weathers was unbeatable in his Whelen USTTC debut in Texas, where he lowered the TT-2 lap record to 1:45.903 while running an LG Motorsports loaner engine. Two subsequent Second Places at Road Atlanta gave him an early lead in the class points chase. Photo by Clark McInnis Photography

Jeff Price opened his 2013 TT-Unlimited campaign with two Fourth Place performances at Road Atlanta, extracting a creditable 1:32.329 lap time from his MTI Racing-prepped ’06 Z06 in the process. Photo by Clark McInnis Photography